Free Uptown Funk Sheet Music for the Drums

This video is a free drum lesson that covers how to play the drum part of the hit song by Bruno Mars: "Uptown Funk."

Download the Free Uptown Funk Drums Sheet Music PDF

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Lesson Overview

This drum part is relatively easy, though I would classify it as suitable for an "advanced beginner." The beat is funky and uses a "4 on the floor" bass drum part. This can be difficult at first because of the coordination involved in linking the snare and bass drum properly.

Remember to practice slowly, and you will eventually get it. If you would like the help of a qualified drum teacher, check out our Drum Lessons in Montreal.

4 on the Floor

"Four on the floor" refers to playing 4 quarter notes on the bass drum. It is a style of drumming that creates an exciting dance feel, used in many genres such as Jazz, Funk, Disco, Reggae, and more. The challenge with this beat is to sync up the snare and bass drum on beats 2 and 4. Practice slowly until the snare and the bass drum "lock-in" and sound like one instrument.

Accenting the Hi-Hats

A great hi-hat accent pattern for this beat is to accent the downbeats and play the up-beats lighter. A good way to do this is to use the edge of the stick for the accents and the tip of the stick for the non-accented up-beats. Ideally, you should learn the Moeller Technique to do this well.

24K Magic

Once you've mastered this song, another great Bruno Mars song to learn is 24K Magic. It is slightly more difficult and can be a great stepping stone to learning Funk drumming.

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About the Author

Elijah is a university-educated drummer with extensive experience in both teaching and musical performance. Since completing his Bachelor of Music degree at Concordia University in 2010, he has played music across every province in Canada and in more than 20 countries around the world.

About Musiprof

Musiprof is a Canadian music organization that connects drum teachers to students in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.

Happy practicing!